The club held their Annual 2014 dinner in the Portadown Golf club with special guest Robert Abraham, secretary of the Laurelvale club. The club has a membership of 16 and this year has had great success and achieved 109 Section positions in the NIPA and INFC with up to 5000 birds and 70 Open places with many races having between 10 and 25,000 birds.
Malcolm Livingstone set a high standard in the first race from Roscrea when he was 1st, 2nd, 7th and 10th Section E and 23rd, 25th, 61st and 75th Open from an entry of 23,881. He continued to win in the old birds and in the young birds was again 1st section taking 4th Open from 20, 424 birds. This is the first time that a member has achieved 2 section wins in the same year and very deserving for the hard working treasurer who won 8 – 1st’s in the club.
Prunty & Hamill were next to hit the top and from Clonmel OB took 2nd Section and 6th Open from an entry of 6,233 in the section and 25,549 in the Open.
In the 2nd Clonmel club Chairman Aiden Fearon was the man to beat and he finished 9th Section and 11th Open followed by Bobby Creaney who was 10th and 15th Section and 12th and 18th open from an entry of 7685. Frank Wright had been racing consistently and it was no surprise when he took 1st Club in the OB Talbenny and 5th and 34th Open from an entry of 10,852.
New members the Larkin Bros. had a good team of young birds and it was not long before they scored from Roscrea taking 4th section and 39th Open from an entry of 23,391. They followed this up with top performances in the Nationals starting with 43rd North Section & 51st Open from Penzance with the INFC and 7th North section and 10th Open from Skibbereen. They also were 9th and 11th section from Fermoy 5 bird.
S & N Haughian had a quiet year by their standards but were 1st club, 26th North Section and 99th Open in the INFC Yearling National from Sennen Cove. Sloan & Reid had a top result from the very difficult Truro and were 1st and 3rd club, 39th, 52nd Section and 136th Open from 4389 birds.
Allan McDonald was the man to beat in the channel races and he was 3rd, 3rd and 2nd Club from Talbenny , Bude and Truro. However, it was Penzance that was the icing on the cake for him when he was 1st Open NIPA from 4967 birds and 1st Open in the Classic from 2397 birds. This was a tremendous achievement for Allan and along with his 30th Open in the Young Bird Talbenny National he set a new club record by winning 6 Cups in the NIPA. He completed the Penzance double by winning the young bird National, taking 42nd Section and 51st Open and finishing with 7 -1st in the club. His Penzance winner “Classic 3-57” was the RPRA winner in the 250 to 450 mile category and completed a year never to be forgotten.
Partners Martin Hagan and Philip Rowney had a superb year and finished top prize winners in both the club and 2 bird club. They had numerous section and open positions in the Old Birds, including 16th and 35th (s) Roscrea, 10th (s) 51st (o) Rosscarbery Yearling Hens, 52nd NS, 146th Open Sennen Cove Yearling National and 42nd (S) 109th Open in the Penzance Classic. Their young birds scored right from the first race to the last starting with 33rd and 34th Section Tullamore, 19th and 21st Roscrea, 22nd and 27th Clonmel and 17th Section Fermoy. They had a great result in the Rosscarbery National, scoring 9th and 26th Section, 13th and 52nd Open from an entry of 3782. Finally they had their top performance by taking 10th North Section, 14th Open Skibbereen INFC National.
In his remarks Robert Abraham congratulated the members on a highly successful season and particularly referred to Malcolm Livingston winning Section E twice with up to 5000 birds. He said that Malcolm had been a great worker for the club and richly deserved his success. Referring to Allan McDonald’s winning the Penzance Open and Classic and other top performances that had won him six NIPA cups and an RPRA award, he congratulated Allan on a brilliant season .
Robert referred to the past when birds were transported by train and other amusing stories which were well received by members. The Chairman, Aiden Fearon, thanked Robert for presenting the awards and Alan Larkin for arranging such an enjoyable meal and evening. Thanks to Allan McDonald for the text and pictures.
Photo Captions
Club members and officials of Portadown & Drumcree
Malcolm Livingstone won 8 x 1sts in Portadown & Drumcree, with Robert Abraham.
Allan McDonald won 6 NIPA cups and an RPRA Award.
Paul and Alan Larkin receiving trophies for Skibbereen YB National and Young Bird Average winners.
Martin Hagan and Philip Rowney with special guest Robert Abraham.
Allan McDonald (l) collects awards from Robert Abraham, Secretary of Laurelvale.